Leaf-spring lubricator.



W. H. BROWN'.

L EAF SPRING LUBRICATOR. APPLlcATlon man uma-1.1915.

1,219,804. n "rammed Mar; 20, 1917.

f III/l 'll/.0g um.

W. H. BROWN.

LEAF SPRING LuBRlcAToR.

APPLICATION F-ILED DEC. 211. 1915.

1,219,804. Patented Maf. 2o, 19u.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM H. BROWN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

LEAF-SPRING LUBRICATOR.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Chio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leaf-Spring Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for supplying lubricant to the joint surfaces of leaf springs, and is particularly applicable to the leaf springs of road vehicles such as automobiles', -which springs, due to their exposure to dirt and Water-,rapidly lose the lubricant which may have been applied to their surfaces when the springs were assembled, and develop unpleasant squeaks which -are not only annoying, but are significant of the rapid wear of the spring surfaces. Theob jectof my invention is to provide'a device for lubricating leaf springs which canbe readily applied to the assembled spring and which Willnot Work loose or become displaced by the relative movement of the spring leaves upon. each other. l

Another object of my Iinvention is to provide a lubricant-receiving and holding reservoir communicating With an absorbent or lubricant holding pad which contacts'ivith the edges of the Y-surfaces of the spring leaves, so that when supplying the pad with oil, it will be unnecessary to Wait for the pad yto absorb` the oil, but the oil may be quickly put into the reservoir and left to be slowly absorbed by the pad without. consuming the attendantls time.

`Another object of my invention is to provide a leaf spring oiler which shall be held i .40 in place by the engagement of some of. its

parts With a single'leaf of the spring. The foregoing and other objects are attained by the use of my invention as described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side, View of a leaf spring lubricator -embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line A A of Fig. l. Fig. 3 `is a section on line B B of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section online C C of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an end view of a modified form of my invention.

lFig-6 is a section on line D D of Fig. 5. Fig.' 7 is a vertical transverse section of another modification of my invention.

Fig. 8- is a section on line E E. of Fig. 7.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1.917.

Application tiled December 2l?, 1915. Serial No. 6E ,767.

Fig. 9 isa pers pectire view of the retain mg lug used in the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a preferred form of o'li-eservoir. v Y

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary longitudinal sec tion through' a modified form of anchoring` device. Y

Fig. l2 is a section on line 41F F of Fig.

ysuchfas shown in the drawings at 2, the in-- turned llanges, 1 of the horizontal portion.,

la, resting upon t ie top leaf of thespring, 2.

Each of the side limbs, l", has riveted or otherwise secured. to it, an inwardly projecting, anchoring; lug, 3, Which is adapted to contact/With one of the leaves of the spring for the purpose oil preventing the device from slipping along 'the spring, when the clipis clamped in place. In the drawings, lug, 3, is sho wn as a short piece of thin, angle steel riveted to the side limb, the pro jecting flange of the angle having its end cut oval and its edge sharpened.' Thisl steel finger or lug may be hardened, if desired, in order thatJ its sharp edge may .more firmly grip the side ol the spring leaf against which it presses. 4 is a vbolt which passes 'through the sidefimbs, 1b, below the spring,

ing edges of the ugs. 3, which lie in planes transverse to the spring leaves, proiect a short 4distance farther from the Walls of the side limbs, l", than do the inturned flanges, l, s'o that when the side limbs are drawn toward the sides of the spring, @,by bolt, Ll, the edges of the lugs, 3, will strike the sides Aof the 'spring before the flanges, ld, strike them.

l prefer to lo( ate each lug, 3, so that it will contact with onlyone leaf of the spring,

^ as shown in the drawings, and, Where two lugs are used on opposite sides of the s ring, as in the drawings, I refer that both e arranged to contact witi the same leaf of the spring. However, by making the lug ovalended, as' shown, even when the lugstands opposite a joint between the spring leaves, it will not contact with more than two leaves and those leaves will be contiguous to each other. As there is very slight relative movement between contiguous leaves and as the lug will generally bear harder upon one of these than upon the other, the device will not be displaced by this movement, but will virtually be anchored to only one of they leaves and thus leave all the leaves free for independent movement when in action.

In one or both of the compartments formed between the side limbs, 1", and the sides of the spring, 2, I place a pad of felt or other lubricant absorbing material, as to cover all of the joints between the spring leaves Within the casing. A slit, 7,

in this pad permits the lug or ear, 3to ex tend through the pad and contact with the spring, 2. Pins, 3a, 'may be inserted in suitable holes in lugs, 3, to retain the pads in place when the device is not assembled upon a spring. y

A dust capped oiler,'v 8, is provided in the horizontal center portion, l, of the clip, 1, this oiler discharging into the compartment or space formed between this portion, 1", and the top of spring, 2. 'I n this space, is placed a trough or reservoir, 9, which extends across the top of spring, 2, within the casing, 1, and is arranged to receive the lubricant which is inserted through the oiler, 8, and deliver it to the pads, 7. The ends of this'trough or best resultsare obtained when the openings at the ends of the trough are small and are arranged to deliver oil near the' middle of the top of the pad. In Fig. 10, I have shown a trough or reservoir having suchsmall central openings, 9, formed by partially closing the ends, 9, of the troughs, 9d.

I prefer to make the pads, 7, of such an initial thickness that they must be considerably compressed in the application of the device to a spring, in order that the pads may press firmly against the edges of the spring leaves, and in order that the lubricant will not be too rapidlywithdrawn from the reservoir, f).

In order to limit thc drawing together of the side limbs, 1, by the bolt, 4, and to form a closure for the bottoms of the side compartments which contain the pads, 7, I provide a plate, 10, which extends across the bottom of the spring, 2, and has its ends` shaped to conform to the inner surfaces of the limbs, 1". The length of the plate, 10,

should-be made such that the side limbs, lbg '1 clamping effect of .the bolt, 4, .upon the side limbs, l", and will also form the closure for the side compartments'a-bove described. It is evident that the material of which the clip, 1, is made should be somewhat elastic, so that the side limbs, 1", will not become set when thus clamped on `a spring. The springing of the clip is., so slight, that I have found that any of the ordinary cast or stamped metals, such as steel, iron or brass are suitable materials for it.

In Figs. 5 andI 6, I have shown a modification of my invention Iin which the lugs, 3, are not used, but instead of this means for vr ing device upon the spring, the inwardly turned flanges of the side limbs, 11"-, of the clip, 11, are broader near their centers, b1", than at their ends, 11d, so Athat when the side limbs are drawn together, the-inwardly turned flanges of the side limbs, 11,.,eng'age with a leaf of the spring at 11G. lThe edges of the inwardly turned fianges are shown sharpened at 11, and may be hardened in order to firmly engage a leaf of the spring, 2.

In this modification of my invention, the felt pads, 7b, are similar in every way to the pad, 7, excepting that they do not have to be enting longitudinal slipping of the oilslit to accommodate the lugs, 3. The plate, 1,0, is shown in this modification used in the same manner as in Figs. 1 to 4t inclusive.

In Figs. 7 and 8, Ithere is shown still an'- other modification of my invention differing from the forms previously described. In the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown an anchoring lug, 1.3, which, instead of being riveted to the side limbs, 12",l of the clip, 12, is secured in position by having a downwardly extending portion, 13, through suitable holes, 13", in which, the bolt, 4, passes.

"flhis' modification of my invention is shown in Fig. 7 applied to a spring composed of only five spring leaves and illustrates the manner in which my invention may` be adapted, for use upon springs of varying vertical thicknesses'. s

It will be seen that the side limbs12 of the clip, 12, are longer than necessary to acthe downwardly extending portions, 13a, of the lug, 1.3, and' also to hold said lugs in vertical position. I also employ a bent flat spring member, 14, which is adapted to rest upon thebolt, 4, and hold the plate, l0, in position against the sturing, 2, and the pads, 72 Whenit is desired to use this xnodiiication of x'iivi'nvention upon a thicker spring,

the dat spring member, 14,may be dis pcnsed with, and the bolt, 4, may be passed through the holes, 13, of-the lugs, 13, if found desirable. Various modifications of theflugs, 1.3, and the other elements of this form of my invention may be made as willbe apparent tofthosc skilled in the art.

In Figli), the retaining lug, 1.3, is shown struck up from a piece of flat steel, lin a manner which needs no further description.

In Fig. `10 is shown a form ci? oil reservoir, 5)", in which the outlet for the passage of oil to thepad at the center, 9b,the ends of the reservoir being closed as shown at 9e except for the outlets, 9i. The purn pose of this is to check the flow ot oil to the pad and deliver it to the central por-- tion'o the pad so that it may have an op portunity to absorb all the oil.

In Figs. l1 and l2, is shown an anchor- .ing means consisting of a tang or projection, 1", to the flange, 1c, of clip,v1, which `-enters a hole, 2C, mathe leaf, 2b, of. the

spring, l In Fig. 13, another ,form of anchoring device is shovvn,v consisting of a pin, l5, which is secured in a hole, 2, in leaf, 2d, of spring, 2, and passes through a hole in the plate, 10. In this construction, the leaf, 2", should preferablybe provided. with the hole, 2*, and the pin, 15, should be inserted in it before the spring leaves are assembled.

I A,am aware that other forms of leaf spring oiling devices have been previousl)T proposed, but none of them with which I am familiar embody the advantages of .my present improvements. It will be seen that, while in my present inventionI do not attempt to provide a casing for coniining Aa body of lubricant against the edges of the spring leaves, I. have provided a capillary -pd in contact with all the leaves of the spring within the casing, and a reservoir for receiving lubricant and delivering it to the pad. It will be seen further that while my improved clip is not oil tight, it is so designed as to be practically Water and dirt proof.l

In all leaf springs there is relative movement oi" the leaves when the spring is being flexed. For this reason it is practically impossible to make a lubricant tight joint4 between vthe edges of the spring leaves' and an adjacent casing, or to hold such a casing against'displacement by clamping it against the ed es'of all the spring'leaves.' With -these acts -in mind theadvantage's of the devices the level of the lubricant in the compartment must be maintained as high as the uppermost joint between' the spring leaves in4 ordergto lubricate that joint. If oil be used in such a device, it soon escapes through the joints` between the leaves of` the spring, and each' 'joint receives no fue ther lubrication aitcr the level of the oil 'in the lubricant hilding compartment has fallen belouT that joint. If grease be used inl such a device, 1;, also, fails to lubrlcate sys all of the spring ioints unless acompres sion grease cup be used to Icontinually keep the lubricant holding compartment full of.

grease and in contact with the edges of the spring leaves by feeding pressure applied to the grease. Such devices, therefore, demand constant attention and are wasteful ot lubricant. In the use of my improved leaf spring lubricator, a smallquantity of oil is inserted into the reservoir, and this oil is gradually absorbed by the capillary pad which becomes uniformly saturated. From it, the oily is drawn by4 capillary attraction into the jiints between the spring leaves as long as there is any oil left in the pad. The capillary pad, however, by .its own capillary action, prevents the oil from flooding the joints and automatically, con serves and econonizes the oil which may be placed in the r eservoir. On account of the use of acapilliry pad, it is unnecessary to make an oil tight compartment against the side of the spring` Isuch as must Vbe used when no pad -is provided, and which compartment I have fr und it practically imposative movement ot the spring leaves.. It will be observed that my inventionl can readily be applied to springs which vary considerably in their dimensions and Whose leaves may not'bc accurately `alined With each other. In other Words, my device adapts itself to the manufacturin varations or tolerances ofl rication.

It will be observed that in the forms of device illustrated in Figs. l to 7, inclusive, the oil is dammet up in the trough 9 in the same manner in the modification illustrated in Fig. 10. In these figures, the upper ends of 'the pads abut against the lovverlips of the trough andthus partially practical spring fabnsible to maintain oil tight, due to' the reliis choke or stop u the ends of the trough, wherebythe pa s together with the ad]acent parts of the clip will tend to-paltially choke the outer ends of the trough, thereby enabling the attendant to quickly deposit the oil in the trough and let it Soak into the pads gradually. In this way, the attendant will not need to await the absorption of the oil by the pads. f

1. In a spring oiler of Ithe type set forth,

a pair of channels and means for holding',

these channels at the sides of the spring,

said means embodying a top member ex| tending across the spring and connecting the channels, a distributing trough arranged under said top member and extending across the spring, and means for constrictmg the outlet vends of the distributing'trough andl for delivering the oil to the edge of the spring.

2. In an oiler of the type set forth, a pair of channels and means for holding .these channels at Athe .sides ofA the spring,

an open-ended distributing channel extending across the top of the spring, and a pad in each of said channels bearihg against the edges fof the'spring and having its upper end engaging the lower lip of said distributing trough, for the purpose lset forth.

3. The'combination with a spring comprising a plurality of superimposed leaves, of a clip comprising a horizontally disposed central portion having two vertically disposed dovynw'ardly extending limbs, said clip .being adapted to encompass a portion of said 4spring about the top and two sides thereof, sald clip being of channel cross section the flanges of the channel being directed toward the spring, thus forming connecting compartments at the top and sides of the spring, oil carrying material in contact with the edges of the leaves'of the spring in the side compartments, and means carried by Said downwardly extending limbs, engaging with only one -of the leaves of said spring to prevent the longitudinal displacement of of an oiling device for applying a lubricant to the edges of the leaves, and means whereby the oiling device is anchored to one only of theleaves of the spring, so as to thereby permit a free and independent movement of all vthe leaves, said anchoring means consisting of an inwardly-extending' lug member lxspring and at the same time leave all" the le..4 es free for independent movement.

n)didn an oiler of the type set forth, a padholding channel and means engaging opposite sides of the spring for'clamping it thereto, said means embodying an ear or lug carried bgthe channel and extending" inwardly through the pad andengaged with one leaf only of the spring.

8. In a leaf spring oiling device, anchoring means therefor engaging a single4 leaf of the spring upon vopposite edges thereof.

9, A lubricator fora multi-ply leaf spring comprising a reservoir having a transverse delivery area adapted to overlap the interstices between the plies of said spring and a clamp disposed for engagement with one ply only.

10. A lubrcator for a multi-ply leafv spring comprising a reservoir having a transverse deliveryarea adapted to overlap the interstices between the plies of said spring and a clamp disposed for engagement with one ply only whereby said leaves are left free to move relatively to each other.

--11. A lubricato'r' for a multi-ply leaf spring comprising a support, a permeable pad on said support and disposed to overlap the interstices between the plies of said spring, and a reservoir havingy a delivery to said pad, and a clamp disposed foi engagement with one ply only.

12. A lubricator for a multi-ply leaf spring comprising areservoir having a transverse delivery area adapted to overlap the interstices between the plies of said 'spring and a support having engagement with one ply only whereby said plies are left free to 'move relatively to each other.

13. A device for use with a. multi-ply leaf spring, comprising a. member having such engagement with said plies as to permit free movement thereof relative to each other, and means influenced by the movement of said plies for distributing a lubricant between the interstices of said plies.

14. A device for use with a multi-ply lleaf spring, comprising-a reservoir for a` lubricant having a delivery to the spring, a transfer element effectivelyv disposed relative to said delivery and in lubricant distributing relation to the interstices'between said plies, and a clamp ypermitting free l. tl

l. li

tl (l il t ' pa ii oli inoveinent of tbeplies relative to each other to compress said pad and effect' a distribution oi' .lubricant content thereof.

la. it device for use with a multi-ply spring comprising a support having-en- 'n with one ply only and permitting roc relative movement of said plies, and a rroir for a lubricant having a delivery i to all' ci. said plies.

' Il device 'for use with a multi-ply leait ,iiisii a. support hiring an enent with sad spring permitting free a te increment of the piies thereof, a reservoir for a luliricant liaving a delivery and a trai'islfer element effectively disposed ii'elative to said delivery and in. surface contact witli` said plies.

il, The combination with aspiring having a plurality of leaves, of casing fitting over tbc top oll tbe spring and extending below the elirini on both sides thereof, ineens for against a portion or the edges of the learns on botb sides of the spring, common feeding ineans for both sides of the casing at the top thereof, and a fastening device for connecting tbe depending sides olf the casing below the spring. 18. The combination with a spring coni.- prising a jijilnrality of leaves, oit casing fitting over the spring and extending be low tbe edges thereof, means Within the casing for confining a lubricating pad against i ortion of t'lie edges of the leaves at both i of the spring, and an oil guide in tbe ig at the top of tbe spring for feeding tlie lullricant from the top of tbc spring' to 'tbe o t' s thereof.

lf). ,l ie combiniiition with a. spring having a pluralitv of leaves, means forming a space for conti y ing a lubricating pad in contact with a portion of the edges oi the leaves on both sides tl'ieiieof, and a common lubricant .feeding i'i'ieans consistingof an oil guide at the top ot the spring with openings coininnnicating Wifli said spaces. i

20. ln an cilev ol the type set forth, a 'pad-lioldingchannels and means for l: 'iiping tbeni to one oi the leaves ofi tbe spring, saidrv .meanseiiibodying a pairoi ini irdly-entendii'ig ears or lugs carried by r ,iposite channels extending invardly t .le the pads and engaged with one leaf onlyT of the spring.

Il.. .An oiler oi! the type set forth, conng ol a pair of pad-bolding chambers posite sidi. i of the sl'iring, said means einbo ying a bott ni nien'iber exteiiding across under tlic si'iring and a top member extendn ibers being connected pern'ianentlyrwiztl'i tli'e pad-holding cliainbers and the other being difatachably connected to the opposite ends thereof. f

conliiinp; lubricating padv and means lor holding tl'iein against the` ii I across tbe top of the sl'n'ing-,fonc civ these 22; A lubricating clip for vehicle springs comprising a U shaped vmember adapted to embrace a spring one of the branches of said. member having an inwardly opening cl'iarnbei'-, a lubrice nt absorbing and distrib- `uting device in said chamber, and a member connecting the free ends of the U shaped member.

Q3. A lubricating clip lfor vehicle springs comprising a U slaped member adapted to enil'irace a spring, oneof tbe'branches Whereolf constitutes an inwardly opening charnber, a lubricant dsti'ibuting device in said chamber, means for securing the clip to a spring, 'and''urther means for introducih a lubricant into 'die clip .and to the distributing device. 1

@4L A lubricating clip for vehicle springs comprising a U slaped ineinberadapted to embrace a spriiug, the opposed branches whereof constitute inwardly opening' clienlnels, an absorbent lubricant distributing device. in each of sai :l channels, means for intrcducingra lubric int into the clip and` for supplying it to said distributing devices,

and a member cornecting 'the yfree ends of,

the lU shaped member.

25. A lubricating clip for vehicle springs comprising a pair .of branches adapted to extend along opposite sides of a spring, one

sonplying a lubiicant to said recesses a"co -cf ea tl'i ougb s id nnc ting in ns Q7. A lubricating( clip for vehicle springs comprising `a pair ofbraificlies adapted Ito extend along opposite sides of a` spring, each of said brano beine; provided with a recess for the riception of a lubricant, nieans connecting the free ends of said, branches, and a distributor for lubricant associated with the connecting means and adapted to sumily nbricant to both of said recesses. l

28. A. lubricating clip for Vehicle springs coing'nising a pair of branches adapted to extend along oppos te sides of a spring, one

of said branches being provided With a lubricant receiving recess, a member connecting tlic 'free ends of said brai'iclies, a lubricant container connected with said member, and a disiribllting device extendingfrom said conta incr to said recess.

A lubricating cli i l'or vehicle springs comprising a pair of branches adapted to ber connecting the free ends of said branches,

ar lubricant container carried by said member, and a dlstrlbuter extending from said ,container in operative relation to said recess.

30. A lubricating clip for vehicle springs com prising a pair of branches adapted to extend along opposite sides of a spring, one of said branches being provided with a recess for the reception of a lubricating pad, a member connecting said branches, and means for supplying a lubricant to the recess through said connecting member.

31. The combina-tion with a spring comprising a plurality of superimposed tleaves, of -means for confining a lubricating pad against a portion of the edges of the leaves at each side Aof the spring, and a single means for feeding the lubricant to both sides of the spring.

32. The combination With a spring com-v prising a plurality of superimposed leaves, of a casing fitting over the spring and ex-v tending over the sides thereof, means With .in the casing itting` tightly against the edges of the leaves for confining a lubricant against them, and feeding means for directing the lubricant to the edges of the leaves.

33. flhecombination with a. spring comof said spring, said clip carrying a compartment at the side of said spring, oilcarrying material in contact with the edges of the leaves of said spring in said compartment, another compartment in said clip communicating with the laforesaid compartment .and adapted Yto contain oil and deliver it to said oil-carrying material, and means coperating with said clip and a Vleaf of said spring to prevent the longitudinal displace- .ment of said clip on said spring.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. BROWN.

lVitnesses:

J. H. JEWETT, H. J. 'KoEHLna 

